Combined handcuffs and nippers



(No Model.)

W. A. HIGKSQ COMBINED HANDGUFFS AND NIPPERS.

No. 403,268. Patented May 14, 1889'.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ALEXANDER HICKS, OF RANKIN STATION, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINED HANDCUFFS AND NIPPERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 403,268, dated May 14, 1889. Application filed November 23, 1888- Serial No. 291,672. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ALEXANDER HICKS, of Rankin Station, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Handcuffs and Nippers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in combined handcuffs andnippers; and it consists in the combination of two jaws which are pivoted together, and which-are so bent as to form a pair of handcuffs orapair of nippers, and which jaws have one of their ends so shaped as to form a hand-hold, all of which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to produce combined handcuffs and nippers which can be used either as nippers alone or as handcuffs alone, and which, when used as either, can be locked in such a manner that it is im-v possible for the person to whom they are applied to work loose or to wrench it from the officers hands.

The accompanying drawing represents a perspective of a pair of handcuffs and nippers combined, showing the parts closed in solid lines and open in dotted lines.

Arepresents two jaws, which are pivoted together at B and shaped as shown. The pivot is placed nearer to one end of the two jaws than the other, so as to enable one end of the jaws to be used as a pair of nippers alone. Each one of the jaws at their shorter ends have the turned-in ends C, which, when the jaws are closed, either to form nippers or handcuffs, slide past each other and will close to any desired degree. The longer ends of the two levers are shaped so as to form the second handcuff, and through these ends, at D, where the jaws are inclined inward toward each other, are formed a number of corre sponding perforations, G, through which the spring locking-pin H is passed, for the purpose of locking the jaws tightly together. Beyond the bent portionD of the two jaws is a straight portion, I, through which but a single hole, J, is made. When the two jaws are brought near enough together to allow the locking-pin to be passed through these two holes J, the nippers are closed and locked in position, so that all strain is removed from the oflicers hands in order to keep the jaws closed.

The holes J are used when handcuffs are formed, and these holes allow any desired adjustment of the jaws. Beyond the straight portion I of the jaws the ends are turned outward so as to form the handles O,which pass between the second and third fingers of the hand of the officer while holding the prisoner.

By the construction here shown combined handcuffs and nippers are formed, and which can be used for either purpose, as may be desired. If used as apair of nippers, the officerhas a leverage upon the prisoner which will enable him to control him with perfect ease, and if used as handcuffs the officer is provided with handles, by means of which he can prevent the prisoner from wrenching loose, as can be done with the ordinary handcuff now in use.

Not only can these handcuffs and nippers be produced as cheaply as any of the handcuffs now in use, but they'are a great deal more serviceable, as they can be used as nippers as well as handcuffs, and used to control the prisoner under any and all circumstances.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- I 1. Combined handcuffs and nippers formed of two jaws, which are pivoted together at a point between their ends, so that all four ends of the two jaws can be opened outward, the ends of the jaws being turned inward toward each other so as to overlap, in combination with a fastening device which is passed through or applied to the jaws at one end, substantially as shown.

2. In combined handcuffs and nippers, the combination of the two jaws A, shaped as shown, the pivot B, which is passed through the jaws nearer to one end than the other,

and which are provided with turned-out handles at one end and the turned-in points or projections C at the other, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' WILLIAM ALEXANDER HICKS.

Witnesses:

FRED. W. EDWARDS, FRANK HICKS.

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